Gaudy Blossoms
by Chaotic Demon
Summary: Bucky is on a quest.


I just realized that I've forgotten to upload anything I've written in the past year onto here. So...

Written for the 2016 Winteriron Spring Fling.

* * *

"You're ridiculous," Zima huffed, bobbing slightly in the air as she flapped her great wings to keep them aloft. Her silver scales gleamed in the moonlight and the thin membrane that made up her wings shone like silk in the soft light.

Bucky grinned to himself behind his mask. "Yes," he said above the rush of the wind, "yes I am." The dragon huffed in irritation and her rider affectionately stroked the cluster of scales just in front of her saddle. "Just get me there. You can take a nap while I do the rest." Zima huffed again, this time out of exasperation. She flapped her wings again and the two of them glided through the night.

Bucky fought back a yawn as he took in the terrain below. They were almost there, he figured, maybe another hour left. He wanted to take a nap, too, but he'd never quite mastered the art of sleeping while riding. Even with his riding gear, the wind bit at his skin too much to be truly comfortable and he was always just a little worried that he'd slip out of his saddle, no matter how tightly he'd strapped himself in. He envied Clint about that; that man could sleep anywhere.

He fidgeted with his goggles and adjusted his mask where it covered his face. He just had to get what they came for and then they could start their return. He'd like to be back at the village before morning, but he knew that it probably wasn't feasible. Ah, well. He'd already enlisted Steve to help cover for him for a few hours. He could be a little late if it meant accomplishing his goal.

Finally, finally, Zima began to drift down, eventually landing in a large clearing with a thump that shook the nearby trees. Bucky unbuckled himself from the saddle with deft fingers and jumped the rest of the way to the ground. He patted Zima's silvery flank. "I'll be back in a while," he said as he made his way into the forest that surrounded them. The dragon snorted at him in reply, large eyes drifting closed as she curled up like a cat..

It took Bucky longer than he would have liked to locate what he was seeking, but eventually he found it. The bright red flower was striking in the moonlight, lace-like petals curling open. He grabbed the spade he'd brought with him and dug into the ground around it, unearthing the bulb. Carefully, he removed it from the ground and placed it into the satchel he carried at his side. He picked up the bag, mindful of the bloom that was tucked away inside and headed back to his dragon. It was time to go home.

* * *

By the time he and Zima had made it back to the village, it was well into the morning. The soft light of dawn was long gone and the entire village was up and bustling. Bucky desperately wanted a nap, but he had a few things he had to do first. He got Zima all settled in the stables and stowed away his riding gear, humming softly to keep himself awake. When he'd finished, he opened the satchel to check on his prize. It still seemed in good shape. He nodded to himself and made his way to the smithy.

The smithy would have been easy to find even if Bucky wasn't already very familiar with its location. The ring of metal on metal was a dead giveaway. So was the large crowd that usually surrounded it. Curious onlookers were drawn to the curious creations the smithy managed to forge, as well as the dragon that could usually be found inside.

Bucky pushed his way past the throng of people, cradling his prize carefully against his chest until he stepped inside. "Hey, Jarvis," he said, placing the bag gently on the counter just inside the shop. The red and gold beast, mouth currently full of flame, just spread his wings in reply. Bucky ran a hand over the bony front of the nearest one. Satisfied, Jarvis tucked his wings back against his side and continued to breathe out a steady stream of fire onto the complicated bit of metal Tony was working with.

Bucky had known Tony long enough that he didn't even try to interrupt the other man. Instead, he took the opportunity to appreciate the set of his shoulders through his thin shirt and the way his biceps flexed as he brought the hammer down again and again.

It was a matter of a few minutes before Tony finished molding the material in front of him. He took it up with a pair of heavy tongs and dunked the glowing metal in a nearby barrel of water. The smith looked up through the resulting steam. "Bucky!" he said with obvious delight.

Bucky waited just long enough for Tony to place the tempered metal aside before he hauled him into a deep kiss. They broke apart smiling. "I missed you last night," Tony said.

Bucky kissed him again in apology. "I got you something," he said.

Tony perked up at the admission. "Yeah? What is it?"

"Why don't you come and see?" Bucky took both of Tony's hand in his and walked backwards, leading him to where he'd left the satchel. "Close your eyes," he said. Tony squinted up at him dubiously. "Close them," Bucky repeated. Tony huffed and obeyed. Ever so carefully, Bucky removed the gift from the bag. "Okay," he said after a moment. "Now open them."

Tony stared at the flower in Bucky's hands with wide eyes. After a long moment, he reached out with one finger to stroke a vibrant petal. "You remembered," he murmured, voice trembling.

"I remember everything you say," came the response. A cooing sound came from somewhere around them. Bucky ignored it.

Tony's eyes were very bright as he stared up at Bucky. "How did you find it? These are so rare." He touched a petal again, reverent.

Bucky shrugged. "I heard a few rumors. I know I only managed to find one, but I figure we can use it to grow others. Maybe in a few years we can have as many of them as your mother did."

Tony took the plant out of Bucky's hands and placed it delicately on the workbench. Then he threw himself at Bucky, kissing him deeply. Bucky returned it enthusiastically. From somewhere in the crowd, someone wolf-whistled. Bucky just flipped them off and continued making out with his boyfriend. He'd mark this gift as a success, although he wasn't sure how he was going to top it for Tony's next birthday. Ah, well. He'd come up with something.

* * *

Zima's a cold drake, so no fire for her. Jarvis is about the size of a large horse.


End file.
